Harassment of Jets Reporter Ines Sainz Being Investigated by NFL

Unsportsman like conduct carries a yardage penalty in professional football. When the ungentelmanly behavior is against a popular Mexican sports reporter, the NFL investigates the claim, and there may more than a yellow flag being tossed into the mix. Ines Sainz, a Jets reporter for Mexico's TV Azteca may have been the target of harassment on a recent visit to a New York Jets practice.

According to the Huffington Post, Sainz was attending a Jets practice to interview team quarterback and standout, Mark Sanchez. During the practice, the Mexican beauty got a little too much attention from both the coaching staff, and the players on the team. In addition to having footballs thrown her way while the team was running drills, Sainz was also greeted with "hoots and hollers" when she went into the team locker room.

The New York Jets issued a statement about the incident: "We are working with the league to gather facts and take any appropriate steps necessary to maintain a respectful environment for the media. We are waiting the results of the investigation." SBNation adds a recent response by Ines Sainz regarding the incident, "to be quite honest, it didn't bother me...I took it as a joke, and none of the footballs actually hit me. I wasn't offended."

Offended or flattered, what we have here is a unique form of workplace harassment. Although the Jets reporter did not mind being the object of attention, workplace harassment occurs whenever there is unwelcome sexual advances or conduct that is offensive, intimidating, or serves to create a hostile work environment. In this case, Ines Sainz did not find any of those elements to be present in her football work environment. Nevertheless, other reporters saw the sideline antics as a problem, which has now led to the NFL investigation into potentially illegal behavior.

Related Resources:

• The New York Jets, Ines Sainz, And The Flipside Of Selling (SBNation)
• Preventing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (FindLaw)
• Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (FindLaw's Writ)